The Wind Festival begins in Tivat
The festival begins with the small Tivat regatta, the Gadbois Cup for the Optimist and ILCA classes, which will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. On Saturday evening, the official opening of the festival will be held on the Pine waterfront, featuring a concert by Bajaga and Instruktori. The final Sunday of April, April 26, is reserved for the Tivat Cruisers Regatta, the UNA Montenegro Cup, which will be held for the 21st time this year.
The Wind Festival represents a strong platform for cooperation, bringing together 97 partners and sponsors. This year, through programs in Tivat, two segments in Kotor, and the closing event in Herceg Novi, it expands to include all the towns of the Bay of Kotor.
On behalf of the Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, University of Montenegro, Vice Dean for Development and Communication, Assistant Professor Dr. Zorica Đurović, spoke about the importance of the festival’s scientific and professional segment: “This year, we are especially pleased to announce the Wind Festival and the conference ‘Boka Kotorska as a Sustainable Nautical Destination,’ as from this year we also have a Kotor edition of the festival. The conference itself is expanding into a two-day event – on May 7 in Tivat, we will discuss the integration of policy, science, and community in coastal management, while on May 8 in Dobrota, the focus will be on the topic ‘UNESCO and the Future of Cruising in the Bay.’ The idea is to bring together experts who will offer concrete solutions and examples of good practice.”
Dr. Đurović also announced accompanying events in Kotor, including an exhibition on the history of the Port of Kotor, as well as the exhibition “Sail & Fly – Boka Kotorska” by academic painter Ivana Bjelica. The educational program in Tivat will also be complemented by the panel discussion “The Defense of Vrmac and the Final Days,” led by journalist and publicist Brano Mandić, with the participation of prominent researchers of the area.
PR Manager of the Tivat Tourist Organization, Tamara Krstović, emphasized the importance of the festival for destination development: “The Tourist Organization of Tivat has recognized the value of the Wind Festival from its very first year. The festival is designed so that through segments of culture, sport, tradition, education, and environmental protection, it contributes to the sustainable development of tourism.”
On behalf of the Municipality of Tivat, PR Manager Branka Čelanović highlighted the values promoted by the festival: “The Wind Festival has shown that sailing, environmental protection, education, tradition, and the coastal way of life are not only compatible, but together create space for creative development. Its authenticity lies in a simple yet powerful message – the beauty of Mediterranean living.”
In addition to the regatta segment of the program, which also includes a Veterans Regatta in the ILCA class, Tivat will host the “Sea Skills and Crafts Fair ‘Morska posla’,” as well as numerous cultural events – the international photography exhibition “People of the Sea,” concerts by the youth band Outskirts, the group Wider Horizons, and Orthodox Celts, an evening of klapa singing, and more. During the final festival weekend, Herceg Novi will host a three-day cycling event, including the attractive Urban Downhill race from the Španjola Fortress to the city harbor Škver.
The program editor of the Wind Festival, Antonela Stjepčević, emphasized that the festival grows year by year together with the community: “What began as a local initiative is increasingly taking shape as a Bay of Kotor festival – open, connected, and oriented toward the sea. Sailing as the central program connects generations, while the strong presence of children and young people shows how much the festival belongs to the community.
All programs all Wind Festival programs are free and open to the public
